Air-brake



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. GUILLEMET. AIR BRAKE.

N0. 437,300. Patenwdsept. 30. 1890.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. GU-ILLEMET.

AIR BRAKE.

Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

- (No Model.)

,L. GUILLEMET.

AIR BRAKE.

No. 437,300. Patented Sept. 30. 1890.

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4. L. GUILLEMBT.

AIR BRAKE.

No. 437,300. Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

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UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEONIDAS GUILLEMET, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AIR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,300, dated September 30, 1890.

Application filed May 20, 1890. Serial No. 352,501- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I,LEoN1DAs GUILLEMET, a citizen of France, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Brakes for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic air-brakes of that class in which the power employed is compressed air stored in a reservoir on each car and supplied from a main reservoir on the engine through a train-pipe extending the entire length of the train, the air-pressure being admitted into and exhausted from a brake-actuating cylinder by means of valves that are moved in one direction by reducing the pressure in the train-pipe below that in the car-reservoir and in the opposite direction by raising the trainpipe pressure above the reservoir-pressure.

The Westinghouse air-brake isa type of the apparatus to which these improvements relate more particularly.

The object of the present invention is mainly to obtain rapid and nearly simultaneous action of all the brakes in the train, both in an ordinary stop and in an emergency stop, to secure steadiness of brake-power or an even-holding quality throughout the entire train, and to throw off all the brakes as well as to set them promptly with economical use of air.

To these ends my invention embraces valve mechanism of novel character and arrangement making common connection of thebrakecylinder with the train-pipe and the auxiliary reservoir, and also a direct and a separate connection of the brake-cylinder with the train-pipe, whereby the'train-pipe pressure is brought down in the initial movement of the valve mechanism by turning a portion of the air into the brake-cylinder at each car to set the brakes, and is in like manner raised in the operation of releasing the brakes by returning pressure from the brake-cylinder to the train-pipe. A main valve is so combined for operation with ports and passages of the auxiliary reservoir, brake-cylinder, and trainpipe of each car that a slight reduction of train-pipe pressure through the engineers valve on the engine is sufficient to open communication between each brake-cylinder and der and the train-pipe the pressure is re- I turned again to the train-pipe at the first movement in releasing the brakes for the purpose of bringing up the pressure throughout the entire length of the train-pipe quickly and thereby accelerating the action of the exhaust-valve, instead of making its initial movement depend on the refilling of the trainpipe throughout the train from the main reservoir on the engine. In connection with this valve mechanism, which I shall herein call the main-piston valves, I have arranged a direct-connection valve controlling ports and passages of larger area between the train-pipe and brake-cylinder independently of the auxiliary reservoir audits valve, the object of which is to use the full available pressure in case of an emergency, when the brakes are to be quickly applied with greatest power. This additional valve I have designated as the supplementary valve. Combined and cooperating with these parts and mechanism is a releasing-valve operated by air-pressure applied from the train-pipe and from a supplemental reservoir on the car, these parts beingcontrolled through the main or setting valve and connected parts to release the brakes promptly and with economy with the consumption of air.

The nature of these improvements and the manner in which I proceed to carry out and apply the same will be understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings that are referred to by figures and letters.

Figure 1 is a plan or top view of the mechanism with the brake-cylinder and car-reservoir arranged in line the same as in the Westinghouse brake; and Figs. 2 to 7,inclu-.

Fig. 3 is a sec passages, taken in a vertical plane on the line x y, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line my ofFig. 2 through the auxiliarypiston chamber and passages. Fig. 5 is a cross-section in a vertical plane on the lineg y, Fig. 2, showing the connecting-ports and passages between the two chambers and the car-reservoir and brake-cylinder. Fig. 6 is a similar cross-section taken through both chambers and the auxiliary reservoir on the line w Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section through the drain-valve at the bottom of the brake-cylinder. Fig. 8 represents a modified construction and arrangement of the main valve and passages between the train-pipe and car-reservoir, the figure being a longitudinal section in a horizontal plane corresponding to the section represented in Fig. 2.

By these improvements, as embodied in the apparatus hereinafter described, I obtain among other advantages a rapid and uniform reduction of pressure in the train-pipe at each ear throughout the entire length of the train in applying the brakes, and a correspondingly-prompt return to a condition of equilibrium in the train-pipe and at each car-reservoir in taking off the brakes, as the initial reduction of pressure in applying the brakes or the return to equilibrium in releasing them is caused to take place almost simultaneously in each car-section of train-pipe.

A indicates the brake-cylinder, and B the auxiliary reservoir. These are connected with each other and with the train-pipe C by ports and passages which are controlled by two valves, each operating in its own chamber, one valve controlling communication between auxiliary reservoir and brake-cylinder, and also giving limited communication at the beginning of its movement between train-pipe and brake-cylinder, and the other or supplementary valve producing direct connection of larger area between the train-pipe and the brake-cylinder for an emergency stop.

In addition to the usual local reservoir on each car there is a reservoir G, and which I distinguish by the term supplemental reservoir, that is supplied with air from the train-pipe. Controlling the exhaust from the brake-cylinder is a valve which is actuated by pressure supplied from this auxiliary reservoir on the one side and from the train'pipe on the other to open the brake-cylinder.

The piston II and its chamber D in the cylinder D is the main piston and pistonchamber and the other piston I in the second cylinder E is the auxiliary piston.

- The relative positions of the two cylinders D E with respect to the auxiliary reservoir and other parts will be understood from Figs. 1 and 2.

The train-pipe is attached to the end of the main cylinder by the coupling O and through the passages D D in this cylinder and the couplings d d the train-pipe connects with the auxiliary cylinder. There is communication between the two cylinders, also, at the ends that set against the auxiliary reservoir and brake-cylinder through the inclined passages L" L and a common connection of the two with the brake-cylinder, besides, through the port L The port L and passage L", leading from the top of the chamber D connects directly with the brake-cylinder around the piston-chamber D".

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the piston-stein is tubular and is utilized for a connecting-passage of larger area between the train-pipe and the brake-cylinder when the supplementary valve is thrown open,and consequently the passage L is used more particularly for draining the chamber D into the brake-cylinder; but in the modification illustrated in Fig.8 a solid valve-stem is used,and therefore the passage L carries the train-pipe pressure into the brake-cylinder. The supplementary valve is located behind the main valve in a chamber D that is separated from the other spaces and passages of the cylinder D by partitions (l (W, and it is composed of the sliding tube K, the stationary tube K and the disk k fixed on the end of the sliding tube. The outer stationary part is an extension of the head (1 and the disk is seated on the end to close the passage. K holds the disk normally to its seat. A cheek-valve inside the tubular passage 70 has a seat 70* at the enlargement of the passage, and is held closed by a light coil-spring it. The movable tube is forced back by a full stroke of the piston which brings the stem II down against the head of the tube, pressing back the disk 70 The train-pipe air then forcing back the cheek-valve presses into the chamber D and thence directly into the brake-cylinder either through the stem of the piston H, if it be a tubular stem, or through the passage L L. This gives a direct admission of the train-pipe air at greatest pressure into the brake-cylinder and is effected by a full stroke of the main piston II. The screwcap forming the head of the tube has a central aperture k Under ordinary conditions the valve is held shut by the coil-spring and the trainpipe is in communication with the chamber D" through the passages D D" d, the car-reservoir being connected with the chamber D by the passages B and B so that the reservoir is kept up to working-pressure as long as the brakes are off, and is left charged when the train-pipe pressure is graded down to work the brakes, the passage 13 being shut at such time by the cheek-valve 11*. The space in front of the piston II is open at all times to the reservoir-pressure through the port D and the piston is held at rest as long as the pressure in the train-pipe is equal at least to that of the reservoir; but as the area of surface exposed to the train-pipe pressure exceeds that of the opposite face of the piston having the ear-reservoir pressure against it the piston is held forward, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The chamber D is separated from the cylinder-spaces by the partitions d (1 through which the piston-stem 11 plays; but the cham- A coilsprin g Y ber D is connected with the piston-chamber D", and consequently with the train pipe passages D D by the recess 7? in the side of the piston-stem, when that part of the stem sets outside of the partition (i and in the chamber D .This connection is established at the initial movement of the piston under an ordinary stop when the end of the pistonstem is set back upon the head of the supplementary valve, but without opening it, and the recess 77, is of such length that as it moves across the partition it puts the two chambers D* D in communication, and consequently the train-pipe pressure is turned into the brake -cylinder from the chamber D the course of the air at such position of the piston being from the chamber through the recess 71,4 into the chamber D and thence to the brake-cylinder, either through the hollow piston-stem or through the passage L L As soon as the recess is set beyond the partition d and entirely within the chamber D this connection is closed, and the auxiliary-reservoir connection with the brakecylinder is then through the piston-stem only. The aperture h3 in the stem is set at such time beyond the partition D and into the chamber D. As thus arranged for operation, the main piston in its backward movement opens the train-pipe to the brake-cylinder at the same time it admits the car-reservoir pressure to the brake-cylinder. There should be a small groove leading into port it to opena trifle in advance of said port and before train-pipe pressure escapes through passage 71 ,111 order to counterbalance any slight reduction of train-pipe pressure due to leakage. The ports it being of larger area than the recess 71. it follows that the air escapes from the auxiliary reservoir into the brake-cylinder more rapidly than from the train-pipe, and therefore the pressure in front of the main piston is quickly reduced below the pressure exerted against its back face, so that the piston returns and shuts off both passages.

The air in the section of train-pipe on each car is supposed to be equal in volume to that in the reservoir of that car, although in practice it is usually smaller, and thus, for example, if an excess of two pounds pressure on either side is required to move the main piston the difference in the areas of the two ports and passages h It causes at least twice the quantity of air to escape from the auxiliary reservoir, so that while two pounds pressure will be transferred from the train-pipe but four pounds will escape from the car-reservoir. The excess of pressure behind the piston will then move it forward again and close the passages h h, after which the air in the two holders will come to equilibrium by any excess of pressure in the train-pipe raising the check-valve b and passing into the auxiliary reservoir. promptly in all the cars, as the main piston is quite sensitive to a reduction in the trainpipe pressure, and as soon as it begins to This action takes place move it connects the train-pipe with the brakecylinder, and thus turns air into the brakecylinder.

As before described, the auxiliary piston and connected parts control the exhaust from the brake-cylinder.

Fig. 2 represents the position of the two pistons and connected valves when the brakes are off, and the two reservoirs are in connection with the train-pipe through cylinder D and its connected passages.

The stem I of the auxiliary piston is tubular and connects passage L with the exhaustvalve chamber, which is formed behind the chamber E in the cylinder E. The outlet to the atmosphere from this chamber is through the passages E E and is controlled by the double piston-valve P P which also controls a passage (1, connecting this exhaust with the train-pipe passage D D in the main cylinder. A direct connection of the piston-chamber E is also made with the same passages through the coupling d The construction and arrangement of the exhaust-valve is such that the exhaust is directed through the outlet E to the atmosphere, or through the passage d into the space D open to the train-pipe. The disk-valve P, fast on the valve-spindle, is held to its seat by a coil-spring P, and serves to close the passage d and also to move the piston-valve.

P, that is fast on the same spindle. In this piston are sets of grooves P that connect the exhaust-passage E with the outlet E or with the passage d according to the position held by the piston, whether in front of the outlet, as shown in Fig. 2, or across it, as it will be when the pressure is sufficient to force back the valve P.

Exhaust-ports 1 in the tubular stem I open into the passage E when the brakes are off, as represented in Figs. 2 and 4, and the train-pipe pressure against theback of the auxiliary piston is balanced by air-pressure s ipplied from the reservoir Gand by aspring 1'.

sages 01 E M, and F, which are controlled by the auxiliary piston and are open to the train-pipe when the piston is at rest in front of the port M 5 but when the train-pipe pressure is lowered the pressure from the reservoir G then acts against the. front of the piston and forces it back until the pressure on both sides is equal. Any excess of pressure against the front of the piston then acts against the check-valve w and finds an outlet into the chamber E through the opening to. The port M is enlarged at the forward end next the. head of the chamber, so that a larger area is uncovered when. the piston is pressed forward and a passage of greater area is produced for refilling the supplemental reservoir quickly. As thus combined and arranged, the main piston makes and breaks direct communication between the train-pipe and the brake-cylin: der, and thus lowers the train-pipe pressure This supplemental reservoir is charged, from the train-pipe through ports andv passby turning it into the brake-cylinder. In like manner the auxiliary piston controls the exhaust from the brake-cylinder and is itself actuated by the train-pipe pressure and that furnished from the supplemental reservoir.

Under ordinary conditions, as when the brakes are to be gradually applied, a slight reduction of pressure in the train-pipe through the engineers valve in the engine-eab brings the main piston-stem to a stop on the head of the valveK,butwithout forcing it from its seat. As the piston begins to move back, the air passes from the train-pipe into the brakecylinder through the passages 7r L and also from the auxiliary reservoir into the brakeeyliuder. Then as the piston is moved forward again to the head of its chamber by the excess of pressure behind it (thepressure being reduced more quickly from the car-reservoir than from the train-pipe) the outlet 72. and groove h" are closed, as before described, and the excess of pressure in the train-pipe and the spaces behind the piston over that in the car-reservoir opens the check-valve If and equalizes the pressure.

To grade down the brakes after they have been partially applied without taking them ch? in running on a downgrade, the main reservoir is laid wide open into the train-pipe through the engineers valve and immediately cut oif again; but as the narrow portion of the port M then opens to the train-pipe, pressure through the connecting-passages D" d and the piston-chamber E is too small for this sudden flow to enter the supplemental reservoir the force will press forward the auxiliary piston until the under portion M of the port is uncovered, and the pressure is then taken into the supplemental reservoir. An equilibrium of pressure between the train-pipe and this reservoir is reached more quickly than with the auxiliary reservoir, and therefore the auxiliary piston is brought back. In these movements of the piston the exhaust-ports I have twice traversed the passage E and a small quantity of air has escaped into the atmosphere from the brakecylinder, thereby reducing the pressure in the cylinder. Such action in a long train would effect the brakes of the forward cars to a greater extent than to those behind, and thus the retaining-power found to be required on the downgrade can be regulated with considerable delicacy. The quantity expended in each operation can he graduated to the requirements without useless waste of pressure. In this operation, also, it will be seen that a portion of the train-pipe pressure is taken into the car-rescrvoir through the mainpiston chamber and the passages B B and this quantity will be equivalent at least to that which is allowed to escape from the brake-cylinder to the atmosphere. After an emergencystop the pressure in the brakecylinder is considerably in excess of that in the train-pipe, which has been reduced through that in valve K, and this difference in pressure acting to open the piston-valve P and close the passage E the brake-cylinder is put in connection with the train-pipe through the passages d P E after which a condition of equilibrium in the train-pipe and brakecylinder and auxiliary reservoir is reached and the valve K and valves P P are closed by their springs.

The connection between the train-pipe and brake-cylinder when the supplementary valve is open is through the passages L L L and also through the tubular stem II, as before described. It is not necessary, however, to have the piston-stem ll hollow through its whole length, but only through the port h to the end, as the passage L can be made of equal area at least with the passage through the direct outlet-valve. This passage is located under the piston-chamber D to the passage L that connects with the brake-cylinder, in order to afford drainage for the chamber D but it is employed chiefly for an airpassage when a solid piston-stem is used, as illustrated in the modification, Fig. 8. The check-valve closes the passage through the valve K as soon as the pressure in the trainpipe and brake-cylinder is equal. The position of the piston II at such time prevents escape of air from the brake-cylinder, as the passage It sets below the partition (Z and chamber D which is the termination of the passage L leading from the brake-cylinder. The piston-chamber D is drained through the passages B B into the auxiliary reservoir.

To release the brakes, the pressure in the train-pipe is increased slowly through the engineers valve, so that the auxiliary piston is moved forward to uncover the groove M. The air then finds its way into the auxiliary reser- Voir to replace that which was discharged into the train-pipe. As soon as the pressure on opposite sides of this piston becomes equal the spring I moves the piston back and shuts off this opening. The auxiliary-piston chamher is drained through the connection M F into the reservoir beneath.

All the joints and the openings in the partitions through which the tubular stems work should be properly packed to prevent leak age, and packing should be sctiuto the faces of the pistons.

A leakage-valve is placed at the bottom of the passage L to permit escape of water of condensation from the chamber D and the brake-cylinder, the construction of which is well shown in Fig. 7. The opening in the partition is closed by two valves arranged for operation on opposite sides, the outeronc 8* working from below upward and held to its seat by a light spring S, while the inner one 8'', acting from above to close the outlet, is held away from its seat by a spring 8, but is closed by air-pressure from within the brakecylinder. The office of the outer valve is to exclude dust when the inner valve is open; but it is adjusted to be opened by the weight of water when the outlet is uncovered.

The spring of the inner valve is arranged to hold it up when there is no pressure in the brake-cylinder, and-thus the water is allowed to pass off when the brakes are off, while no dustcan enter when the water has runoff and the outlet-valve remains open. The valve operates in this manner asa drainage-valve; but its main purpose is to act as a leakagevalve and allow escape into the atmosphere from behind the piston of the brake-cylinder of any air that may pass in accidentally when the'brakes are OK, and which would move the brake -piston if not carried 01f. Leakagevalves are already used for this purpose to relieve the brake-cylinder, and I do not claim any novelty in respect to the present application, but only with regard to the construction and arrangement by which it serves as a drain-valve for the brake-cylinder.

The modification illustrated in Fig. 8 has a solid piston-stem and a solid valveY fixed to and carried by the stem, as substituted for age] hollow passage in the-stem and the ports The passage WV is connected with the passage D around the partition d at one side of the valve-chamber when the piston moves back.

It should be mentioned that a spring is applied in the usual manner to bring back the brake-piston when the air-pressure is let ofi.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an air-brake mechanism, the combination, with a car-reservoir and a brake-cylinder, of a cylinder or casing interposed between said parts and the train-pipe containing a main piston in a main-piston chamber having on one side the train-pipe pressure and on the other the car-reservoir pressure and a supplementary valve in a separate chamber behind the main-piston chamber adapted to be opened by a'full stroke of the main piston, a port and passageconnecting the car-reservoir with said main-piston chamber controlled by the main piston and having an inwardlyacting check-valve, a passage connecting the train-pipe directly with the main-piston ch amber around the supplementary valve, a passage directly connecting the supplementaryvalve chamber with the brake-cylinder around the main piston and adapted to carry the train-pipe pressure into the brake-cylinder at the initial movement of the main piston to grade down or reduce the train-pipe pressure behind the main piston by turning it into the brake-cylinder, and an independent releasing-valve mechanism composed of an auxiliarypiston in an independent cham ber or casing having the train-pipe pressure on one side and an auxiliary-reservoir supplying pressure on the opposite side, ports and passages connecting said auxiliary-piston chamber with the reservoir, and the brake-cylinder with an exhausting-chamber in the same casing behind the auxiliary-piston chamber and both controlled by said piston, outlets from said exhausting-chamber to the atmosphere and to the train-pipe controlled by a valve that is opened by the exhaust-air pressure and closed by a spring, a direct connection of the auxiliary piston chamber behind the piston with the trainpipe passages in the main casing, and an opening through the auxiliary piston controlled by an outwardly-actin g check-valve and adapted to equalize the pressure on both sides of the piston at the end of the exhausting-stroke, substantially as described.

2. In an air-brake mechanism, the combination of a cylinder 0r casing having a mainpiston chamber containing a main piston which divides said chamber and has one side always exposed to the train-pipe pressure and the other side exposed to car-reservoir pressure, ports and passages between said chamber and the car-reservoir which are controlled by the piston itself, a separate chamber behind the main-piston chamber having connection with the train-pipe through a supplementary valve which is normally closed and which is opened by a full stroke of the main piston, a port and passage directly conmeeting said chamber with the brake-cylinder, and a connecting-passage between the main-piston chamber and the said valvechamber controlled by the main piston and adapted to turn the train-pipe pressure into the brake-cylinder through said chamber and connected passage at the initial backward movement of the main piston, whereby afull stroke of the said piston will throw the trainpipe pressure full open to the brake-cylinder for an emergency stop, but will establish limited communication between train-pipe and brake-cylinder in an ordinary stop, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the carreservoir and brake-cylinder of a brake mechanism, a main piston in a chamber or casing controlling ports and passages that connect a trainpipe with a car-reservoir and brake-cylinder to turn in air to set the brakes and a separate releasing or exhausting piston in a separate chamber or casing, an auxiliary reservoir connecting with said chamber on one side of this piston and having the train-pipe pressure behind it, and an exhausting-passage and outlet from the brake-cylinder to the atmosphere and also to the train-pipe governed by the auxiliary piston, and an exhausting-valve adapted to direct the exhaust-air pressure back into the train-pipe, the said brakecylinder being connected with the main-piston chamber and the exhausting-chamber by separate passages having a common inlet into the brake-cylinder, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a car-brake mechanism, the combination of a train-pipe, a brake-cylinder, and an auxiliary reservoir with a main cylinder and piston, and an auxiliary cylinder and piston controlling exhaust ports and passages, said main and auxiliary pistons moving successively in the manner described, and substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In combination with the passage in the brake-cylinder, which is the termination of the main and auxiliary chamber passages, the drainage-valve composed of a downwardlyacting valve held from its seat by a spring and closed by air-pressure in the cylinder, and the upwardly-acting valve adapted to open by weight of water and returned to its seat by a spring, substantially as described.

6. In an air-brake mechanism, the combination of two reservoirs having separate refilling-passages of diiferent sizes connecting them with the train-pipe, and main and auxiliary valve mechanism controlling said passages and actuated by the train-pipe pressure on the opposite side, said valve mechanism arranged to open the reservoirs to the train-pipe to partially recharge them with air when the pressure therein is increased to grade down the brakes or is reduced to set them.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

LEONIDAS GUILLEME'I. 

